Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

Israel, had built a large altar to Baal at Ophrah. The Lord
commanded Gideon to destroy this altar and to set up an altar to
Jehovah over the rock where the offering had been consumed, and
present a sacrifice to the Lord there. The work of offering sacrifices
had been committed to the priests and restricted to the altar at
Shiloh, but the One who had established the ritual service had power
to change its requirements. Gideon must declare war on idolatry
before going out to battle with the enemies of his people.
Gideon performed the work in secret, accomplishing
everything in one night with the help of his servants. The men of
Ophrah were very angry when they came the next morning to offer
their worship to Baal. Joash, who had been told of the Angel's visit,
stood in defense of his son. "Would you plead for Baal? Would you
save him? Let the one who will plead for him be put to death by
morning!" If Baal could not defend his own altar, how could he be
trusted to protect his worshipers?
All thoughts of harming Gideon were put away. When he
sounded the trumpet of war, the men of Ophrah were among the first
to join him. Messengers were sent to his own tribe of Manasseh, and
also to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and all answered the call.
How Could Gideon Be Sure?
Gideon prayed, "If You will save Israel by my hand as You
have said--look, I shall put a fleece of wool in the threshing floor; if
there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I
491